McCall Elk and Mule Deer

[alcvndnb]

I was fortunate enough to get a McCall B tag and a Unit 25 deer tag for this upcoming season. My plan was to head out mid summer to scout the units and then come back a week before. I was planning on staying out there for the whole season until I fill tags or eat some soup. Well, it sounds like work needs me to head overseas in the early part of October and I'll get back midway through the season. I able to fly out of Boise instead of my local airport so I'm partially there already but this leaves me with the latter half of the season to hunt.

This is my first time in Idaho but I have hunting elsewhere. What is the season like? I know the terrain is tough and I'm curious what the pressure is like midway through the season? The other question is if it is worth the hassle?

 

[eli425]

Was looking to see if anyone else is hunting there this year.
I was there last year, with the mccall b tag. Took a nice mature buck out there at around 8k elevation. And seen plenty more bucks roaming about. Elk were sparce and I didnt end up locating any bulls. The cows were in pairs.

Terrain wise, if you stay low its really thick. I tried to hunt through the thick of it but its slow going. I had better luck following up a trail to the top, peeling of a mile or so and then glassing openings from there.

Weather wise, we went mid october and were warm the first few nights and mornings. Then got hit a with a 23 degree cold snap. So be ready to deal with some serious cold weather. Hard to predict if the snow will come during the first half of latter half of the season so be prepared for both options.

Hope that helps.

 

[Gun&BowSD]

Dug over a foot of snow out for camp. More wolf tracks than elk. Hunted high, hunted low. Ate soup. Got so cold the fuel lines froze on our (retrieval) motorcycle. Beautiful country. Would love to go back. But I am pretty certain the only living thing I saw was a damn nice bull moose that was more than willing to stomp me into burger. We played chicken for who got to continue on the trail we met on. He won.

I don't recall exact dates I was there but there was a lot of snow and I am guessing it had moved most of the critters down? Again, I would go back though, it was beautiful

 

[alcvndnb]

Thanks for setting the some expectations. Honestly, I'm pumped to do some cold weather hunting and camping. I'm expecting to eat tag soup in the end but checking out the country and hopefully stumbling on a some animals in rugged terrain will be fun. I'd be down to tag a bear if the opportunity presents itself.